Decisions are often delegated to groups when members have the experience and information needed to arrive at the appropriate choice. Managers and leaders can take actions that support group decision making and lead to good decision outcomes. Managers can help promote effective decision making by effectively choosing group members, framing the decision, and organizing the decision process.
In order to maximize the potential of a group decision process, managers should take the following important steps:
- Establish the team goal: By articulating the dimensions of the decision, including its importance, a manager can reduce ambiguity and help group members focus their analysis, discussions, and deliberations. A clear statement of the question to be resolved can help unify the group and create cohesion that engages members and improves collaboration.
- Facilitate a working environment: After the decision goal is established, the working environment must allow for meaningful, honest, and open communication among group members. The manager can help establish norms about how members will interact with each other to foster constructive discourse.
- Set clear expectations and responsibilities: By setting expectations, managers help team members understand their decision tasks and parameters (for example, deadlines). Managers might assign roles to help structure the decision process, establish a sense of accountability for parts of the group's work, and clarify responsibilities.
- Provide resources: Managers must be mindful that the group has adequate resources to evaluate alternatives and make its decision. Necessary adjustments may include providing additional staff, giving more time, or freeing members from other work assignments so they can fully participate in the decision-making process.
- Get out of the way: After the manager has established the context for the group to make its decision, the best thing to do is step back and let the team perform. The most useful role at this point is that of coach, such as if the group needs help managing interpersonal relationships or if additional clarity is needed about an alternative.
Manager and employee communicating
Managers can facilitate group decision making by setting clear expectations.